Hey Guys! Sorry this update took so long, this is my final year of school and it hurt me a little harder than expected, throw in some family health scares and this unfortunately got pushed to the side. But, I'm back now! and the next chapter is already in the world,

So Read, Review and Enjoy!

Chapter 3

I felt something being wrapped around my hands and it moved up my body. I closed my eyes bracing for impact. My body hit the ground and while it rattled me it, it didn't hurt.

"Miss Stark," I heard a familiar voice.

I opened my eyes and saw a computer screen in front of me.

"What?" I asked.

"Your father created a suit for you, but might I suggest helping Captain Rogers at the moment." Jarvis said.

I turned my head, trying to get used to being encased in a suit. "Steve!" I called as I scrambled up to my feet. "Steve!"

I saw him, and ran over to him, trying to move with dust and pieces of the house flying everywhere.

I grabbed him by the shoulder and he turned to look at me, "Scarlett?" he asked in confusion at seeing the suit.

"We gotta get out of here!" I said.

Steve grabbed the hand of the suit and the two of us made our way into the living room.

"Dad?!" I called out as I entered.

"Scar!" I heard him as something else hit the house and we all started to fall.

"Dad!" I yelled as part of the house tipped forward, I watched him tumble towards the window. He grabbed a hold of the beam and managed to stay there. I didn't realize that I was also slipping into the giant gaping hole in the house until Steve grabbed my hand.

"Get her out of here spangles!" my dad yelled.

"DAD!" I called as Steve pulled me up and kept shoving me towards the door.

We made it to what used to be our driveway and the suit started to dismantle.

"Mom?" I called seeing Pepper and the other woman standing there.

"Scarlett!" she cried out as she launched herself at me.

"What's going on?" I asked as a helicopter crashed into the living room.

I broke free and started to run towards the house. "Scarlett!" my mom cried as I felt Steve's arms wrap around me. "No!" I cried as Steve turned me around and I pressed my face into his shirt.

I thought that maybe not watching would help, but that just caused me to focus on the sounds. The sounds of the beams and windows cracking. My mom's gasps as we waited for my dad to pull out another miraculous feat.

I sniffed and Steve wrapped his arms tighter around me.

I peeked my head out and made eye contact with Pepper and I could tell by her expression that it wasn't looking good.

I pulled back and stared at my house. Most of it was gone, I walked through and made my way to the edge where everything was falling into the water. I gasped as the words got stuck in my throat.

Mom grabbed my hand as she looked out of the where our home used to be, "TONY!" she called out for my dad.

I heard the crunch of glass behind me, so I turned and gave a small smile to Steve.

"It's not safe in here," he said, to confirm his point a slab of ceiling fell behind him.

He held out his hand and I took it as he led me out back to the driveway. Pepper not far behind us.

"I'm sorry," the other woman said as Pepper and I stood there in our grief.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Maya Hensen," she said as she extended her hand.

"That's great, why are you here?" I asked.

"I think my boss works for the Mandarin," she said.

I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away from the group, Steve walked up behind me.

"What are you thinking?" Steve asked.

I slipped my ring off of my finger and looked inside, I could breathe easier and my shoulders lifted. "He's still alive," I whispered to Steve showing him the steady, if a little elevated heart rate.

"Why didn't he come over here?" he asked.

I shook my head. "To protect us, to figure this out, but who knows?" I offer, not being able to express what I was feeling. My dad as it was turning out, was impossible to kill. My home was gone but he was still safe and I was okay with that.

"Should we tell Pepper?" Steve asked.

I turned my head and saw Mom standing there with one of my dad's Iron Man helmets. "She'll figure it out," I said. "Dad will send a message."

"What do we do?" he asked.

"We go find this bastard," I said as I walked over to Pepper.

"Mom," I said as I wrapped an arm around her waist.

She didn't reply, but she tilted her hand to show me the inside of the helmet, where one new message was waiting. I slipped my ring off and showed her his heartbeat.

"You should go back to D.C.," she told me.

I took a step back, "What?" I asked.

"You and Steve should go back to D.C. and do what you can from there," Pepper said.

"I'm not leaving you," I stated, planting my feet.

"I'll be fine," she said. "Maya and I can do some more research into her boss, and you guys can start to find him."

I took a breath and looked at Steve who seemed ready to do just that. "Mom," I whispered looking back at her. "Dad may be okay but that doesn't mean that the Mandarin won't come after you."

My mom took a step forward and grabbed my hands and squeezed. "We are going to show him what happens when you mess with our family."

I looked up at her and nodded, "Okay." I said before I threw my arms around her neck. I buried my face in her hair and took a breath. I was still jittery and for a moment I just needed my mom.

Pepper looked up and at Steve. "Watch her back," she scolded.

"Yes ma'am," he replied.

We broke apart and I walked over to Steve. "Ready to go back to D.C.?" I asked.

Steve took my hand and squeezed, "Yeah."

Steve opened the passenger door for me as I slipped inside. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and I could feel myself starting to slip into shock.

I jumped a little when Steve put his hand over mine. "We are going to get this guy," Steve promised.

I sighed as stared out of the window, glancing in the side mirror as we drove away from my ruined home. "Sometimes it feels as if this is all our fault," I said not meeting Steve's eye, but relishing the heat of his hand on mine.

"No it's not," Steve quickly shot down.

"You should have seen us, Steve," I said finally glancing at him. "We were gods, myself included. We did what we want, when we wanted; we didn't keep track of the details and thousands died because of it. So my dad set out to stop them, creating Iron Man and since then problems have just been getting worse and worse."

"I may not have known you then, but I know you now and for the past six months, all I've seen is you bare the weight this responsibility has on you and I know that you take this seriously, this isn't your fault." He stated.

Tears prickled my eye as I blinked quickly to keep them from falling. "Thanks," I whispered with a small smile, "and not just for this but for being one of my closest friends."

Steve squeezed my hand and we drove to the airstrip in silence.

Once Corey arrived the two of us settled into seats to head back to D.C.

Steve was quiet and kept looking over at me; I could tell he wanted to say something.

"What?" I snapped as I watched the takeoff through the tiny window.

Steve took a breath, "Are you okay?" he asked. "I know what you said in the car, but you're shaking and I'm worried."

I had my feet propped up on the chair and was resting my chin on my knees. I finally turned to face Steve. "No," I answered honestly, "not really, I know I should be fine, my parents are safe and we are unharmed."

"But your childhood home was just attacked," Steve countered. "A place where you are supposed to be safe. An attack like that should have shaken you."

"I think I'm getting use to it," I said with a self deprecating smile, "the constant attacks and the threats. I'm not as shaken as I would have been a couple years ago."

The fasten seat belt light clicked off and I unbuckled mine and stood up. "Well I'm done with this conversation," I said as I walked up to the cock pit, ignoring the hurt look Steve was sporting, and how awful it made me feel.

"Hey Corey," I said as I slipped into the co-pilot seat.

"Scarlett," he said with a smile. "It's been a while."

I nodded as I stared out of the window. "I'm running," I said.

Corey glanced at me but, remained silent.

"From what?" he asked after a moment.

I sighed, "From being hurt," I confessed. "I think I might have feelings for this guy and it terrifies me."

"Ah, Scar," Corey said. "You're too hard on yourself, you're a great girl."

I shot him a small smile. "I know, I'm a catch, wealthy, not bad to look at. But underneath it Corey, I'm a mess and this guy deserves something more. Like I look at him and think he deserves the world, and I can't give him that."

Corey chuckled. "My Lori said almost the exact same thing when I asked her to marry me," he reminisced.

"She did?" I asked perking up at his story.

"She did," he answered. "Her mother had cancer and she was taking care of her."

"What did you say?" I pestered.

"I said her mess was what I loved about her and I wanted the world with her," he replied a small smile appearing on his face. "And it was true, the shiny parts were just frosting to the cake that was her edges."

"That's incredibly romantic," I teased.

"Point is, its' not up to you to decide what someone else deserves," he said. "It's up to you to make sure that person is aware and go from there."

"That was some amazing advice," I said.

"And you are an amazing woman," Corey said. "I've seen you grow and I refuse to believe that you are what everyone is saying. You might have some problems but you'll always rise."

"I love ya, Corey," I said.

Corey chuckled, "I love you too, now go lay out your mess for that guy."

I shot him a side glance at how he figured it out but I just went back and settled into a seat next to Steve.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I'm an awful person who snapped at someone who is just being there for me."

Steve wrapped his arm around me. "I forgive you," he said.

We sat there in silence for a while until Steve spoke. "What's the plan?"

"We gotta find him," I said. "I don't know how, get creative. I just wish I knew what his plan was. He seems to hate everything the United States is but to what end?"

"Replace it?" Steve offered. "Put what he thinks works in its place"

"Maybe, but then why target superficial places, why not go for government buildings or officials?" I countered.

The rest of the flight was spent throwing ideas back and forth and when we finally landed in DC.

"You coming over so we can start?" I asked with a small smile on.

"Yeah," Steve said with a matching smile, "let's get started together."